The rest of the world thinks U.S. leaders are doing a better job than those in half a dozen other world powers, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and China, an analysis released Wednesday suggests.

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POLITICO 44

While that may not be the most stunning endorsement for the United States, it is better than any other world power did in the survey. In second place was Germany, with a 40 percent job approval rating for its leaders, a 17 percent disapproval rating and 38 percent having no opinion or refusing to answer. Coming in close at third place was France, with a 39 percent approval rating, 22 percent disapproval rating and 39 percent with no answer.

The countries that did the worst in the survey were China – with a 31 percent approval rating and 27 percent disapproval rating – and Russia. Russia’s leadership got a 27 percent job approval rating and a 31 percent disapproval rating.

The U.S. rise to the top of the approval index is only a recent development since Barack Obama became president. In 2007 and 2008, approval for American leaders ranked second from last, leading only Russia. In 2008, the U.S. rating was 34 percent. In 2009, it jumped to 49 percent.

Based on data collected between 2007 and early 2010, Gallup found that the United States is the most desirable destination for people who said they would leave their country if they had the opportunity. Twenty-four percent said they would choose the United States, while 7 percent each chose Canada and the United Kingdom.

The analysis is based on about 1,000 interviews and has an error margin of between plus or minus 1.7 percentage points and plus or minus 5.7 percentage points.

Well, sure. obama went on a few apology tours and and that "pleased" a lot of our detractors. He has made it clear to the world that he doesn't regard the United States as a super power. That made a lot of critics "happy". So if we are now not the "peace keeper"/"care taker" of the world, why do we still spend billions on foreign aid. Shouldn't we at least get to stop subsidizing these countries now that we are on an equal playing level in the world?

The republican party will never live down the Bush years. The devastation to our military and economy still lingers today.

On a happier note, it'll be a hoot watching GOP heads implode as they come to terms with the fact that they don't have anybody who can beat Obama in 2012. I mean really Giuliani thinks he has a chance to win the republican nomination. Who's next - McLame? He still has not recovered from 2008.

Politico ALWAYS finds an article it can use to give Teh Won a daily tongue bath. However, Politico should keep in mind there is only 1 referendum/poll on Messiah's leadership qualities that counts - and that poll is coming up November 2012.

See what happens when we don't have an administration that is not like Bush/Cheney et al.? When we aren't dismissive, neglectful, bossy, bullying and condescending to other sovereigns and entire nations, we gain respect and approval. When we don't have bush-league leaders that exalt torturing prisoners, split the world into a false and simplistic axis of good and evil, push lie-based wars, et cetera, we rise in world opinion. I am very grateful we have an Obama-led administration that reaches out to world leaders in good faith and respect, that is slow to judge and is seeking strength through strong alliances. The conservative critics and Republican presidential pretenders are like threatened apes pounding their chests, "I'm the alpha ape!" The real alpha men and women and countries need no such defensive displays, but lead with a quiet, good-willed confidence.

Well, sure. obama went on a few apology tours and and that "pleased" a lot of our detractors. He has made it clear to the world that he doesn't regard the United States as a super power. That made a lot of critics "happy". So if we are now not the "peace keeper"/"care taker" of the world, why do we still spend billions on foreign aid. Shouldn't we at least get to stop subsidizing these countries now that we are on an equal playing level in the world?

This is very discursive and illogical. It shows how some people will go to great length to disparage any progress made by Obama. Do you think that the rest of the world believe that America is a super power merely because a president expresses it. There has to be substance to go with that expression. George Bush's inability to defeat a bunch of rag-tag insurgents in Iraq is what put America's super power status to question. It had nothing to do with the silly illusion that Obama apologized to the world.

Well, sure. obama went on a few apology tours and and that "pleased" a lot of our detractors. He has made it clear to the world that he doesn't regard the United States as a super power. That made a lot of critics "happy". So if we are now not the "peace keeper"/"care taker" of the world, why do we still spend billions on foreign aid. Shouldn't we at least get to stop subsidizing these countries now that we are on an equal playing level in the world? We are not, as the article states, "on an equal playing level" we are on TOP! And you can thank Barack Obama for that. He understands that we are a superpower but he also understands that the US can't just bully nations just becasue we are bigger than they are which is what we generally do. We have always been a "peace keeper and care taker" - Obama is encouraging the rest of the world to step up to the plate so that America no longer has to go it alone. As you said, it's just to costly $$$$ and lives.

"Results are based on face-to-face and telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. In Algeria, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Somaliland region, Tunisia, and Yemen, measures are aggregated based on two surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010. Data from Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Libya, and Russia in 2010 are based on aggregated data from two surveys that year. Results in Bahrain, Djibouti, Kuwait, Poland, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia in 2009 are based on aggregated data from two surveys that year. Results in Pakistan are based on aggregated data in 2008 and 2009. Results in Germany and Japan in 2008 are based on aggregated data for multiple surveys that year. For results based on the total samples, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error ranges from ±1.7 percentage points to ±5.7 percentage points. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls."

On a happier note, it'll be a hoot watching GOP heads implode as they come to terms with the fact that they don't have anybody who can beat Obama in 2012. I mean really Giuliani thinks he has a chance to win the republican nomination. Who's next - McLame? He still has not recovered from 2008.

Obama 2012! O'Malley 2016!

You forgot the Donald!!! Can you just imagine the first R debate? PRICELESS. Oh, BTW I must disagree with you just a bit.

"The U.S. rise to the top of the approval index is only a recent development since Barack Obama became president. In 2007 and 2008, approval for American leaders ranked second from last, leading only Russia. In 2008, the U.S. rating was 34 percent. In 2009, it jumped to 49 percent."

President Obama has effectively turned around America's image as a "rogue nation" under the Bush-Cheney regime that gave us two, ongoing wars of 18 months combined, kidnapping, torture, secret and non-secret prisons globally, domestic spying and warrantless wiretapping that spread misery, death, and destruction around the globe and multiplied America's enemies a thousand-fold in his failed war on terrorism.

America is no longer capable of being the global policeman despite the war-mongering, war-profiteering desire of Republicans to capitalize on US-inspired global conflict. Good relations with other countries helps America across the board, from reduced conflict, political influence, increased business and social cooperation.

Remember that American corporations make 46% of their profits overseas and that America's trade deficit remains at nearly $500 billion. America is not an island unto itself as the whole planet suffered as America suffered from the deregulated Wall St. greedfest and subsequent Bush Great Recession as opposed to the earlier global impact of the Republican-Hoover Great Depression.

You must be kidding me, the US is leading what and where! But yes, all those countries (Germany) that try to disengage like our new rule of disengagement and the Muslims will like it too. We are not trying to defend our interest and allies and that is good for anyone who has its own interest, different from the US.

Just as it is not in my family's best interests to base my decision-making on the approval of others when I seek to promote the interests of my family, it is not in America's best interests to seek such approval.

It reduces the concept of leadership to a popularity contest.

I notice that Jennifer Epstein has been out of college for all of...three years, now. This story fully reflects the sentiments of a child. It's like saying "Joey is the best because everybody on facebook friended him."